For a while now I have been using Google Voice! For the most part I have been very impressed! So I thought I would write an article here walking you through it! But I Googled it and found several very good reviews already available! I'm going to direct you to those shortly. But why do you need Google Voice? Well if you have a cell phone, a home phone, a work phone, or other phones, Google gives you an easy ability to forward all of those to one phone number. Think of it like this: a Land line number rings to a location. A cell phone number rings to a cell phone. But a Google number is tied to a person. And through Google's web or mobile interface, that person has the ability to customize this number to ring you anywhere you are at the moment, that has a phone close by. Or not to ring you at all! Or a plethora of other options!
How I use it
About 10 years ago, I turned off my Home Phone. For the most part, no regrets! But when I am home, I spend most of my time in a man-cave, which is in a basement at the foot of a mountain, and cell service is not the best! That problem was solved when I signed up for Google Voice and got my new number. Now, when people call, I answer through my computer (think Skype) and never miss a call like I used to before Google's Voice Service. Also, through this service, I can take my contacts and create groups. These groups can get their own personal voice mail greetings, and there is a multitude of customization options as to where calls go and how they are handled. Texting is alive and well in Google Voice and I appreciate this as I can also text from my browser instead of my Nexus One. A very handy feature! Finally, I love the Voice mail transcription feature. When someone leaves me a voice mail, Google transcribes it into to Text and I can read the message instead of listening. This feature is not exactly flawless . . In fact, it's rare that Google transcribes it perfectly. It's usually accurate enough for me to figure out what the message is about and I can always listen to it by pushing a button. Further options include sending the Voice Mail your mobile phone as a text message or sending to your gmail account.
How much does all this awesomeness cost?
Currently every bit of Google Voice is FREE for USA and Canadian calls. Oversea calls are competitive with other calling options. At this point there is no advertising within Google Voice, but I expect to see this within both the web and mobile interfaces very soon. Apps for Android and Blackberry are free. The Android app offers a couple of very handy widgets for activating features with the push of a button (Do not Disturb, Texting, and more) It can be used on the iPhone by using the mobile interface. And I also expect big things right around the corner. We are seeing Android devices show up with that Camera on the front. YEP! Video calling through Google Voice is right around the corner. I'm predicting it now!
Reviews:
Hand's On with Google Voice--This Is Really Cool!
Jeff Bertolucci
"This isn't a Skype-type service either. You don't use your computer to make phone calls, and there's no additional software or hardware to install or buy. (You can, however, use the Click2Call feature from the Google Voice website to place calls.) Is it perfect? No, it's got a few quirks, and the myriad of configuration options can be confusing at times. But Google's onto something big here. A service that helps manage the multiple phone lines in our lives should have universal appeal."
Google Voice: 5 reasons to use it and 5 reasons to think twice
JR Raphael
"At the same time, though, adopting Google Voice as your communications commander introduces some potential negatives, ranging from privacy-related concerns to questions about reliability. Here's a breakdown of five pros and five cons to help you determine whether the service is right for you."
Google Voice Review
Steve Miller
"And as an added bonus, if you ever change cell phones or service providers, it won’t matter if you keep the same phone number, because you can just change some settings in your Google Voice account to make everything work on your new phone."
Is this the end of the phone company?
Stuart Miles
"As you can imagine the possibility of calling international for anywhere from 2 cents a minute from your mobile phone is a compelling one, especially considering operator AT&T blocks international calls for all customers for the first 90 days of your contract."
Google Voice Features explained
Buds who Blog